Level.



No. 806,987. PATENTED DEC; 12, 1905.

' 'A'. F. McDOWELL.

LEVEL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4,1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, LEVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed November 4, 1904. Serial No. 231,359.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. MCDOWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Levels, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to levels and plumbs of the class commonly usedby masons and carpenters and mypresent purpose is to provide aserviceable and reasonably cheap level having a simple attachmentwhereby any def parture or variation from the horizontal or verticalwill be indicated in inches or degrees, or both.

The drawings annexed hereto illustrate my invention.-

Figure l is a side view of a level embodying my improvements, and Fig. 2is an edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a relatively enlarged side viewof that portion of the said level that includes my new indicator, andFig. 4 is an edge view of the indicator parts. Fig. 5 is an enlargedtransverse sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1. In Figs. 6 and 7I have shown side and end views of one of the clamp-bushings in whichthe spiritlevel is mounted, the nut b of Fig. 6 being partially brokenaway. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating the level withthe spirit-tube to which the pointer is attached arran ed to indicate adeparture from the horizonti instead of the vertical, as illustrated insaid Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the letter a indicates the body portion ofthe level, the same being preferably formed of wood. In constructing thebody a I provide a beam of wood and split it centrally lengthwise. Ithen place the two strips thus formed back to back, so as to reverse thegrain, (see Fig. 5,) and then glue or otherwise secure the said stripstogether, thus providing a structure that will not warp under ordinaryconditions.

At suitable oints through the body a I bore holes in which I insertflanged thimbles or bushings b, and upon the threaded nonflanged end ofeach of said bushings I screw an annulus b, as seen in Fig. 5, thusfirmly binding together the two sections of which the body a iscomposed. Secured within the bushing b or formed as an integral partthereof is a metallic tube 0, in which I insert a spirit-level glass 0,and before the bushing b is finally secured in place in the body a it isproperly adjusted so as to bring the spiritglass parallel with the edgeof the said body if it is to serve as a level or at right angles to saidedge if it is to serve as a plumb.

At the left hand end-portion of the level illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2and also in Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown the novel and simple devices bymeans of which any departure from a plumb may be indicated. I Saidindicating devices include a bushing b and an nulus or nut b,constructed as above described, and upon the outer face of the flange ofthe bushing I secure by screws d an index or pointer 6, whose free endlies upon the face of body a and is approximately parallel with theedges of said body. That portion of the pointer e that is screwed to thebushing b is provided with pins 6, that enter holes 6 in thebushing-flange. These pins and 00- operating holes serve not only tolocate the pointer with respect to the bushing and the spirit-glasscarried by the bushing, but they they also permit the pointer to be usedas a spanner-wrench to screw the annular flange 1) upon the bushing.

Secured to the body (1 immediately under the free end of the pointer eis a plate f, in which is slidably mounted in dovetail ways a secondplate 9, whose exposed surface is suitably graduated to indicate inchesor degrees, or both, the said plate being secured to the platef by oneor more screws g. Preferably the free end portion of the pointer issupported and frictionally held against accidental displacement by ascrew it, that extends downward through a curved slot f in the plate fand is screwed into a nut h. By suitably adjusting the screw 71. thepointer may be caused to frictionally engage the face of the platef.

Assuming that we have a level and plumb of the described constructionand that the spirit-glass is set at .right angles to the edges of thebody a, as in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the plate 9 isfirst adjusted sothat zero will register with the end of the pointer, and the said plateg is then fixedly screwed to the main plate When my described implementis to be used to plumb a wall, it is held in contact with said wall Ifthe spiritigrlass shows that the wall is out of plumb, the

ee end portion of the pointer e is grasped and swung to onesideuntil-thebubble in the glass indicates that the said glass has reached ahorizontal position. Then by-noting the position of the pointer endrelatively to the graduated scale on'the plate g the amount ofdeflection or departure from a vertical will be instantly seen.

It will of course be understood that certain proportions of parts mustbe conformed to in order to insure an accurate registration of suchdeflectionthat is to say, the length of the pointer e relatively to thelength of the body a, as well as the graduations of the scale on plateg, must be accurately predetermined. It will also be understood andobvious that in order to indicate departure from a horizontal it willonly be necessary to so adjust the spirit-glass that it Will lieparallel with the edges of the body (1 instead of at'right anglesthereto, as in Fig. 3, and this adjustment of the glass may be readilyaccomplished by first unscrewing-the pointer from the bushing andthen,using the pointer as a wrench, as above described, the bushing may berotated a quarter of a .turn. The pointer may then be returned to theposition shown in Fig. 8 and secured in said position by again screwinit to the said bushing.

y described improvement adds very little to the cost of this class ofinstruments, and it may be used by any one of average intelligenceWithout special instruction.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A device of the characterdescribed comprising in its construction a body portion, atubularbushing extending transversely therethrough and rotatabletherein, said bushing having at one end thereof an annular flange andprovided at the opposite end thereof with screw-' threads upon itsperiphery, a nut engaging said screw-threaded portion of said bushingand adapted to clamp the same to said body, a spirit-level tube fast tosaid bushing and extending transversely thereacross, a pointer fast tosaid bushing,

v and-a graduated plate fast to said body adj acent to the free endof-said pointer.

2. A device of the character described comprising in its construction abody portion, a tubular bushing extending transversely therethrough androtatable therein, said bushing having at one end thereof an annularflange and provided at the opposite end thereof with screw threads uponits periphery, a nut engaging said screw-threaded portion of saidbushing and adapted to clamp the same to said body, a spirit-level tube.fast to said bushing and extending transversely thereacross, a pointerfast to said bushing, a graduated plate fast to said body adjacent tothe free end of said pointer, and means to adjust said platetransversely of said body.

3. A deviceof the character described comprising in its construction abody portion, a tubular bushing extending transversely therethrough androtatable therein,'said bushing having at one end thereof an annularflange and provided at the opposite end thereof with screw-threads uponits periphery, a

nut engaging said screw-threaded portion of said bushing and adapted toclamp the same to said body, a spirit-level tube fast to said bushingand extending transversely thereacross, a pointer detachably fastened tosaid bushing, a plate fast to said body, and a graduated plate slidablymounted upon said first-named plate beneath the free end of saidpointer.

4. A device of the character described comprising in its construction abody portion, a tubular bushing extending transversely therethrough androtatable therein, said bushing having at one end thereof an annularflange and provided at the opposite end thereof with screw-threads uponits periphery, a nut engaging said screw-threaded portion of saidbushing and adapted to clamp the same to said body, a spirit-level tubefast to said bushing and extending transversely thereacross, a pointerdetachably fastened to said bushin a plate fast to said body, agraduated p ate slidably mounted upon said first-named plate beneath thefree end of said pointer, and means to fasten said plates together.

5. Adevice of the character describedcomprising in its construction abody portion, a

tubular bushing extending transversely therethrough and rotatabletherein, said bushing having at one end thereof an annular flange .andprovided at the opposite end thereof with screw-threads upon itsperiphery, a nut en aging said screw-threaded portion of said ushin andadapted to clamp the same to said bod a spirit-level tube fast to saidbushing and extending transversely thereacross, a pointer detachablyfastened to said bushing, a plate fast to said body, a 1glpaduated plateslidably mounted upon said st-named plate beneath the free end ofsaidpointer, means to fasten said plates together, and means to fasten saidpointer to saidfirstnamed plate.

6. Adevice of the characterdescribedcomprising in its construction abody portion, a

clamp said bushing to said body portion, a

spirit-level tube fast to said bushing and extending transverselythereacross, a ointer fast to said bushing and a graduate plate fast tosaid body adjacent to the free end of said pointer.

7. Adevice of the character described comprising in its construction abody portion, a tubular bushin extending transversely therethrough anrotatable therein, means to clamp said bushing to said body portion, aspirit-level tube fast to said bushing andextending transverselythereacross, a pointer fast to said bushing, a graduated plate fasttosaid body adjacent to the free end of said pointer, and means to adjustsaid plate transversely of said body.

IIO

v 8. Adevice of the character described comprising in its construction abody portion, a tubular bushing extending transversely therethrough androtatable therein, means to clamp said bushing to said body portion, aspirit-level tube fast to said bushing and extending transverselythereacross, a pointer detachably fastened to said bushing, a plate fastto said body, and a graduated plate slidably mounted upon .saidfirst-named plate beneath the free end of said pointer.

9. Adevice of the character described comprising in its construction abody ortion, a plurallty of tubular bushings extending transverselytherethrough and rotatable therein,

body portion, a spirit-level tube fast to each of said bushings,respectively, and extending transversely therethrough, a pointer fast toone of said bushings, a graduated plate fast to said body adjacent tothe free end of said pointer, and means to adjust saidplate'transversely of said body.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALBERT F. MoDOWELL. Witnesses:

H. F. DAGGETT,

FRED. K. DAGGETT.

